Process for the production of nuclear substituted aromatic cyanogen mercury compounds



Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE. I

AUGUST KLAGES, OF MAG-DEBURG-SUDQST, GERMANY.

rnocn ss FOR THE rnonncrron or NUCLEAR sunsriru'rnn A'RoMA'rIc CYANOGEN MERCURY oomrounns.

No Drawing. Application filed September 1, 1921, Serial No. 497,669, and Germany February 23, 1920.

in .which X means hydrogen or an alkyl and such as $0 11, and which are not eas ly soluble can be transformed, by boiling with alkali metal cyanides, into permanent com: pounds forming very easily soluble alkah metal salts having the general formula I H cN v in which Me means an alkali metal. These mercury compounds are not altered by alkalies and not precipitated by sodium chloride solution. They are permanent, easily soluble and comparatively not very polsonous.

These compounds can be produced also directly by heating phenols in non-acid solution with mercuric oxide and'alkali metal cyanides. By such boiling a solution of the easily soluble alkali metal salts of the corresponding phenol mercury cyanide compounds is formed directly, and the sald mercury compounds may be precipitated from suchsolution by means of acids.

Examples.

1. Three kilograms of mercuric oxide are dissolved in 10 liters of Water with addition of sulphuric acid and 1.5 kilograms of cresol is added to this solution while heating and stirring the solution. After a short time a precipitate of mercuric cresol sulphate on 0.11 /OH H smn will separate. The precipitate is separated from thesolution and then boiled up to com- Y an acid substituent other than cyanogen,

plete solution, preferably While being still moist, together with a solution of 1 kilogram of sodium cyanide in 5 liters of water. The sodium sulphate precipitating from the solution is removed and the solution is evaporated in vacuo.

When cooling the concentrated solution the mercury cyanide compound having the formula cmcmK I I is precipitated and. separated in any convenient manner.

1.3 kilograms of phenol-are heated to bollmg and vdissolved together with 3 kilo grams of mercuric oxide and 680 grams of sodium cyan1de in 10 to 15 liters of water. The mercuric oxide dissolves. From the cooled solution the phenol-mercury-cyanide compound having the formula OH I can v I 'is separated. by means of carbon dioxide or diluted acids, said compound being easily redissolved by alkali.

The alkali metal salts of the resultingphenol. cyanlde-mercury compounds which salts have the general formula Y meaning an acid substituent other than cyanogen with an alkali metal cyanide.

2. A process for the production of complez; cyan mercury derivatlves of phenols, havlng the general formula on men X meaning hydrogen or an alkyl, which process consists in treating in non-acid soluxcm , itating the" solution an amdu tion a phenol with an alkali metal cyanide 1n the presence of mercuric oxide, and precipso obtained by means of '10 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

AUGUST KLAGES. 

